In which I may be a hypocrite...

I've been debating this post ever since 5chw4r7z pointed it out to me.

Here's the thing about sites like EightMaps ... I am not sure how I feel about them. In fact, they may be mildly repulsive to me. Like, sickeningly so. Perhaps. On the other hand, I think it's reasonable to say that people need to stand behind their contributions, and that individuals should be called to task for their bigotry.

Had there been a huge anti-Semitic vote, or a racist vote, I think we would have seen names published like crazy... fought over, sure, but I'm pretty sure we would all feel that it was best if we knew what was going on in our world, right?

Right?

Anyways, so I purued the California Secretary of State's website and found two locals -- five Datyonites and ten Cincinnatians -- who had donated to the National Organization for Marriage-California and ProtectMarriage.com. That kind of sickened me, in a way. (Actually, it may be much larger, but I don't know many of the burbs out there in Clermont and Warren Counties, and I know almost nothing around Dayton. If I'm "liberal" with my guesses, it may be upwards of eight and fifteen.)

That said, has it been right for us to target anti-equal marriage-ites the way we have, with hate mail and death threats? No, of course not. That's just wrong.

What to do then?

What to do...

What to do...

While I'm thinking, maybe you should check out the list of both the National Organization for Marriage-California and the ProtectMarriage.com Donor lists. I'm sure you'll have a better answer. Oh, and look, there are 750 donors I didn't go through on the former org. I wonder how many more.

I guess the bigger question: are we done with this issue?

Meanwhile, I'm totally calling a boycott of Plastic Products, Ltd. Owner donated $200 to Yes on 8 funds. For all of you homosexuals that, um, buy industrial plastics, don't support this Dayton based industry? Yea, take that! :-)

OHIO/CINNKY: Dying cities...

Thanks to 'Nati Life for pointing this out a few weeks ago, but I'm just now getting it it.

From Forbes.com, America's Fastest Dying Cities:

The turmoil of the mortgage market granted a temporary reprieve from
hearing about the woes of America's Rust Belt. That doesn't mean things are
better. Despite a decade of national prosperity, the former manufacturing
backbone of the U.S. is in rougher shape than ever, still searching for some way
to replace its long-stilled smokestacks.

Where's it worst? Ohio, according to our analysis, which racked up four
of the 10 cities on our list: Youngstown, Canton, Dayton and Cleveland. The
runner-up is Michigan, with two cities--Detroit and Flint--making the
ranking.

Click here to check it out in pictures, and here for the story. Scranton, PA; Charleston, WV; and Springfield, Mass all made the list.

Cincinnati did not make the list, but I imagine -- with so many Ohio cities on the list -- that it was just off the list.